The Cardinals are the top seed and unbeaten against state competition with a win against the two-time defending state champion Mohigans to their credit.
But that was a four-point game and it came 10 weeks ago, with the stakes far higher in this one.

For the third straight year, the Polar Bears and Tigers clash in this spot. Each of the first two have gone the way of Fairmont Senior, which defeated Shady earlier this season by 10 points.

The Beavers claimed the regular season meeting by five points, though the Irish were without starting guard Max Wilcox.

The Mountain Lions, regulars at the state tournament, are after their first state championship against a team they have familiarity with having record a six-point regular season win a month ago against the Panthers.

Tucker is the defending runner-up and its mixture of size, length and perimeter ...